Jaipur: Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully has written to chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressing concern over the delay in the application process for the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Academic Excellence, previously known as the Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence Tuesday. The scholarship funds education in foreign universities for 300 students and 200 in Indian universities as per the 2024 notification.In his letter dated May 27, he pointed out that the scholarship process for Sept 2025 has not yet begun, even though the results for Class 12 were already declared. “The academic sessions in most foreign universities begin in late Aug or early Sept, and with the application process yet to begin, it will be extremely difficult for students to hold on to their offers. Moreover, the govt will face a tight timeline to complete the selection, approval, and disbursement process by July, as students need sufficient time to apply for visas and make travel arrangements,” said Jully.He emphasised that the scheme, initially launched in 2021 under the leadership of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, was aimed at helping meritorious and underprivileged students pursue higher education in top international universities. He even demanded special consideration or reservation for students of marginalised sections, including OBCs, MBCs, SC, ST, and EWS.Shalini Choudhary, a resident of Jaipur, received admission offers from Manchester University and Birmingham University in March. With the universities’ deadline to confirm admission approaching in the first week of June, she is struggling to hold her place. “I have to convince them to extend the offer,” said a disappointed Choudhary. “It’s frustrating that despite qualifying, I might lose this opportunity due to administrative delays.“Echoing her frustration, Khushi Valecha, who secured an offer to pursue a master’s degree from University College London (UCL), said her deadline to confirm admission is also nearing. “We worked hard to earn these offers, but now we’re stuck in limbo,” she said. “If the scholarship doesn’t come through on time, I may have to give up my dream.”
Vivekananda scholarship delay draws concern from LoP Jully | Jaipur News
